Interesting...
I was in Chicago this weekend. I thought I'd been to Chicago before, but my friends, I had not. The things I've seen now...the conversations I've had and listened too...the people who've passed through... As one guy from our group put it, "I've lived 4 years in the past 4 days." Doesn't that sound cryptic and Chicken Soup for the Soul worthy? Please, don't get sick yet, just listen.
We went to several urban ministries (Breakthrough Shelter, Emmaus, JPUSA, Lawndale). We explored different areas of the city (Little India, Chinatown, Little Italy, Boys' Town, Pilsen, Rogers Park, Uptown, Watertower, Lakeshore). And we talked to everyone. EVERYONE. Volunteers at shelters, the people in our group, kids playing in the park, and homeless men. Those guys you see holding the cardboard signs that say, "I'm just hungry". We made a new friend named Sam that way. We gave him a few cheeseburgers and sat down on the sidewalk to talk to him. 45 minutes later we realized how cool he was and how similar we were. All the books we read for class were accurate. Sam was injured in a car wreck, then he couldn't go in to work, he lost his insurance because he got laid off for days missed, and now he has no job, no healthcare, and an injury. He stays with his sister or his lady friend. And he goes out on the streets, "to keep him out of trouble". He doesn't want to get sucked into drug trafficing or violence or whatnot. So he sits in a central location and sometimes gets food and people who will talk to him. He goes to the shelter and they give him old clothes and new shoes. Sam knows how to work the system that screwed him over. And he's a wonderful guy. Friendly. Interesting. And I actually miss him. I want to go see him again. Sam...
A lot more happened this weekend. Mostly bonding with other people from the sociology department. Rachel, Amy, Krista, Amanda, Eli, Charday, Karen, Michelle, Matt, Austen. Guys, I was dreading this weekend like nothing else. And it was one of the best weekends of my life. Thank you.
We went to several urban ministries (Breakthrough Shelter, Emmaus, JPUSA, Lawndale). We explored different areas of the city (Little India, Chinatown, Little Italy, Boys' Town, Pilsen, Rogers Park, Uptown, Watertower, Lakeshore). And we talked to everyone. EVERYONE. Volunteers at shelters, the people in our group, kids playing in the park, and homeless men. Those guys you see holding the cardboard signs that say, "I'm just hungry". We made a new friend named Sam that way. We gave him a few cheeseburgers and sat down on the sidewalk to talk to him. 45 minutes later we realized how cool he was and how similar we were. All the books we read for class were accurate. Sam was injured in a car wreck, then he couldn't go in to work, he lost his insurance because he got laid off for days missed, and now he has no job, no healthcare, and an injury. He stays with his sister or his lady friend. And he goes out on the streets, "to keep him out of trouble". He doesn't want to get sucked into drug trafficing or violence or whatnot. So he sits in a central location and sometimes gets food and people who will talk to him. He goes to the shelter and they give him old clothes and new shoes. Sam knows how to work the system that screwed him over. And he's a wonderful guy. Friendly. Interesting. And I actually miss him. I want to go see him again. Sam...
A lot more happened this weekend. Mostly bonding with other people from the sociology department. Rachel, Amy, Krista, Amanda, Eli, Charday, Karen, Michelle, Matt, Austen. Guys, I was dreading this weekend like nothing else. And it was one of the best weekends of my life. Thank you.